God Of football

Chapter 210: Near Olympico

The next morning, Valencia held a light training session at a facility near Son Moix.

The players focused on set pieces and final touches, with Baraja directing drills and offering encouragement.

As the session wound down, the Mallorca squad arrived for their own training, and a brief overlap occurred.

There was no animosity, but the air between the two groups carried a quiet tension. Players exchanged polite nods, though a few couldn’t resist playful banter.

Sergi Darder, formerly of Olympique Lyon approached Gayà and Pepelu with a grin. ”I hope you’re ready for what’s coming tomorrow,” he teased.

Gayà laughed. ”We’re always ready, Sergi. Let’s see if you can handle Izan.”

Darder chuckled, glancing toward the young star, who was speaking with Thierry near the goalposts.

”He’s a genius, I’ll give you that. But Son Moix is a tough place to shine.”

Izan caught the glance and walked over, his demeanor calm but confident.

”Good to see you again, Darder,” he said. ”I’ve heard a lot about Son Moix. Should be a good test.”

Darder smiled before speaking, ”We’ll see if you can handle the pressure. Good luck tomorrow.”

”You too,” Izan replied, turning back to his teammates.

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The morning sun bathed Palma de Mallorca in a golden glow as the city prepared for one of the most anticipated matches of the season.

It was the day of the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, and Valencia’s players awoke to an air thick with expectation.

At their luxury hotel overlooking the Mediterranean, the team gathered for a light breakfast, their faces betraying a mix of focus and nerves.

Izan sat, eyes scanning his plate before proceeding to empty it. The players, once again went through a short run of exercises after breakfast before they were sent away.

By mid-afternoon, the Valencia team bus was ready to leave. As it rolled out of the hotel driveway, a small group of traveling fans gathered nearby, waving flags and cheering loudly.

The players acknowledged them with polite waves from the tinted windows. Izan leaned back in his seat, earbuds in, visualizing the game ahead and he knew that tonight would be no different from what he does regularly.

The journey to Son Moix was anything but serene. As the bus weaved through Palma’s narrow streets, it was met with jeers, whistles, and chants from Mallorca fans lining the sidewalks.

Many held up red and black scarves, waving them furiously, while others banged on the bus as it passed.

”This is hostile territory,” remarked Valencia’s coach, Ruben Baraja to assistant coach Moreno, glancing out the window.

”The fight for the last place in the cup final has elevated their hostility,” Moreno said as he glanced at a fan holding a flare in hand.

Izan sitting by the window, unfazed, kept his focus, though he couldn’t help but notice one young Mallorca fan running alongside the bus, shouting something inaudible before stopping to hurl his scarf at the vehicle.

Izan shook his head at the kid’s action before smiling at his loyalty towards Mallorca.

As the bus pulled into the stadium grounds, security personnel worked to keep the boisterous Mallorca fans at bay.

A cacophony of whistles and boos erupted, their echo resonating through the bus as the players disembarked.

Jose Gaya led the team out, his expression stoic as they made their way into the bowels of Son Moix.

Inside the locker room, the atmosphere was tense but focused. The players began their pre-match routines: stretching, listening to music, or quietly talking tactics with the coaching staff.

Izan, as always, kept to himself, methodically tying his boots before slipping on his warm-up kit.

While Valencia prepared inside, the stadium filled to capacity. The home fans were in full voice, chanting and waving flags, their energy infectious.

The pundits, stationed in a pitchside studio, provided their insights as the players warmed up on the field.

”Tonight is a test of resilience,” one analyst said. ”Valencia have the quality, especially with Izan pulling the strings, but Son Moix is a fortress. Mallorca’s fans will make it as difficult as possible.”

Fans from both sides were interviewed, their opinions adding to the pre-match drama.

”Izan is good but he doesn’t know what a place in the final of a cup trophy could do to a team,” a passionate Mallorca supporter declared.

”We’ll show him tonight that he’s still a little boy”

Meanwhile, a traveling Valencia fan countered, ”He’s 16 and already the best player on the pitch. Watch what he does tonight!”

The commentators echoed the fans’ sentiments as the teams returned to the locker rooms to change into their kits.

”The stage is set. The players are ready. Can Valencia handle the pressure in this hostile environment?”

The referee’s whistle pierced the air, and the game began with an intensity that mirrored the charged atmosphere in the stands.

Mallorca pressed high, their players snapping into tackles that drew roars of approval from the home crowd.

In the 6th minute, Izan picked up the ball near the halfway line. A hush fell over the crowd as he turned elegantly, gliding past two Mallorca midfielders with a body feint and a quick change of pace.

”Look at that from Izan!” the commentator exclaimed. ”He’s playing with such composure in the face of relentless pressure!”

The home fans, however, were less appreciative, whistling and jeering every time Izan touched the ball.

While the match went back and forth for a while, the first major flashpoint came in the 10th minute.

Izan, picking up the ball in midfield, launched a perfectly timed through ball that split Mallorca’s defense.

Valencia’s striker, Hugo Duro latched onto it and fired past the goalkeeper, but the assistant referee’s flag shot up the next moment.

”Offside again! Valencia can’t catch a break!”

The Valencia players tried to debate but the replay showed the striker was inches ahead of the last defender.

The Valencia bench protested vehemently, but the decision stood. Just ten minutes later, another moment of brilliance from Izan led to a second disallowed goal.

Drifting to the left wing, he danced past his marker with a series of stepovers before delivering a curling cross. Diego López appeared and volleyed it into the net, only for the flag to go up once more.

”Oh, the frustration for Valencia!” the commentator cried. ”Two goals ruled out, and Izan’s magic is going unrewarded.”

The Mallorca fans celebrated both decisions as if they had scored themselves, chanting ”Fuera! Fuera!” (Offside! Offside!) at the Valencia supporters.

With the 30th-minute mark approaching, Valencia won a corner in the 41st minute after sustained pressure.

”And Valencia have a corner here. Can they make it count as Izan steps up to take the corner”

Izan jogged to the corner flag, the home fans behind him hurling insults and waving flags in an attempt to unnerve him. He placed the ball down and raised his hand, signaling his intention.

[Curler activated]

[Pinpoint Accuracy activated]

Izan, glancing at the keeper, who was off his line a bit, had an idea.

The stadium, which was rioting for a moment, fell into a tense hush as Izan ran up to the ball and curled it toward the near post.

The delivery was precise, curling wickedly toward the goal. The Stadium went silent for fear of disturbing such a serene scene

As it dipped, the ball struck the inside of the post and ricocheted outward. For a split second, the ball seemed to hang in the air before striking the back of Mallorca’s goalkeeper, Pedrag Rajković.

The Mallorca players could only watch on as time seemed to freeze, the ball rolling agonizingly over the line.

The stadium went silent save for the away section of the stands that had the Valencia fans jumping for joy.

”Goal! Goal for Valencia!” the commentator screamed. ”What a bizarre sequence! Izan’s corner has somehow found its way in!”

The away fans erupted, their cheers drowning out the furious boos from the home crowd.

The Mallorca players swarmed the referee, claiming a foul in the box when the players were fighting for the ball but VAR confirmed the goal.

Izan, initially subdued in his celebration, clenched his fists and shouted toward the Valencia fans, who chanted his name.

”What composure from Izan!” the analyst noted. ”Even under this immense pressure, he’s delivered for his team.”

The home fans were livid, their chants turning hostile as they waved their scarves furiously.

Meanwhile, the Valencia bench celebrated wildly, their relief palpable after two disallowed goals.

Mallorca pushed hard for an equalizer before halftime, winning a dangerous free kick in stoppage time.

Their talisman, Vedat Muriqi, stepped up, curling the ball over the wall and just inches over the bar.

After that effort, the halftime whistle blew with Valencia leading 1-0. The players walked off to a mix of cheers and jeers, the tension palpable.

In the studio, pundits debated the bizarre goal and praised Izan’s performance.

”It wasn’t pretty, but Valencia have the lead,” one analyst said. ”Mallorca will feel hard done by, but credit to Izan for stepping up in the big moment.”

As the players prepared for the second half, the atmosphere remained electric. For Valencia, the battle was far from over.

For Mallorca, it was a matter of pride and survival. And for Izan, it was another chapter in a story that seemed destined for greatness.

A/n: Another 3 chapters coming right up. 2 for the day and 1 extra for the Golden Tickets.